Letter from Chief Resident

Dear Prospective Applicant,We appreciate your interest in the PM&R Residency Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Headquartered at Spain Rehabilitation Center, we offer the stability and comfort of a more than thirty-year-old residency program, with an established yet advancing didactic and clinical program.

Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) houses 49 inpatient beds with services dedicated to Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Orthopedic/Trauma, and Stroke rehabilitation. SRC is among an elite group of programs that have been nationally designated as both a Spinal Cord Injury Model System and Traumatic Brain Injury Model System. Spain also houses the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, which supervises and directs the collection, management, and analysis of the world's largest spinal cord injury database. SRC is attached to the main UAB Hospital which enables us to have access to all the specialty services available at UAB. One city-block away at Children's Hospital we have an established Pediatric Rehabilitation Program with both inpatient and outpatient services. Birmingham brings a uniqueness to our program by allowing all clinical facilities to be located in the immediate vicinity of our training headquarters.

Our clinical experiences reflect the growing diversity of opportunities in outpatient setting within the field of PM&R. We rotate through outpatient clinics in spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke as well as clinics in occupational medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, sports medicine, electrodiagnostics, and spine care. We receive hands on training in performing procedures including peripheral joint injections, Botox injections for spasticity management, intrathecal Baclofen pump management, as well as interventional pain procedures. Additionally, each resident has a weekly continuity clinic which provides a valuable experience in both long-term follow-up of rehabilitation patients, new patient referrals, spine care, and the practical aspects of efficient clinical practice.

During most rotations, residents are one-on-one with faculty members, facilitating informal lectures and bedside teaching. Our faculty includes a diverse mixture of attending physicians encompassing both clinical and research interests. Excellent opportunities and funding for research are available both within our department as well as with many other renowned researchers across the UAB system.

The city of Birmingham is the South’s gem. Nicknamed “The Magic City”, Birmingham has experienced an urban revitalization with many new and attractive additions including parks, lofts, restaurants, breweries, and music venues. Being the largest city in Alabama, Birmingham is a hub for medical professionals who bring with them a cultural diversity while still maintaining that deep Southern charm. Birmingham also offers beautiful suburbs with excellent public schools that are ideal for growing families and young adults. The 12 residents who represent our program enjoy spending time together both professionally and leisurely. We come from many different backgrounds and parts of the country and feel that this diversity is enriching to our program. Come visit us and see why we say, “It’s nice to have you in Birmingham!”

Please feel free to email or call us with any questions you may have about UAB, the residency program, or Birmingham. Good luck with the application process and please don't hesitate to contact us!

UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.